This publication presents the results of a study of the effects of taxation and government expenditure on the distribution of income among private households in Australia in 2009–10. Previous studies were conducted in relation to 1984, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1998–99 and 2003–04.

CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

The 2009–10 study follows the methodology used in the 2003–04 study, but with the following improvements:

a more comprehensive measure of private income, including the net imputed rent for owner occupied dwellings and the net benefit that can be attributed to households living in subsidised private rentals

improvements to the allocation of social transfers in kind for health benefits, housing benefits and child care assistance

inclusion of electricity concessions provided by State and territory governments for the first time

improvements to the methodology for estimating taxes on production for ownership of dwellings

an increase in the sample size of the Household Expenditure Survey (HES) from 6,957 in 2003–04 to 9,774 in 2009–10. Additional changes included the incorporation of non-cash benefits used by employees to improve the coverage of consumption and the inclusion of disability questions for persons aged 15 years and over.

Some changes have also been made to the content of the publication:

time series data have been included in the first two tables showing a comparison of the results from the 2003–04 and 2009–10 studies

social transfers in kind for the Private Health Insurance Rebate (PHIR) are shown separately as a component of health benefits

social transfers in kind for child care are shown separately as a component of social security and welfare benefits

other taxes on production has been renamed to other goods and services

addition of a table on financial stress indicators.

EFFECTS OF ROUNDING

Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals. Published percentages are calculated prior to rounding of the figures and therefore some discrepancy may exist between these percentages and those that could be calculated from rounded figures.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Living Conditions on Canberra (02) 6252 6174, email <living.conditions@abs.gov.au>

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